Amplifier

Kanye West Performed at Gil Scott-Heron’s Memorial

By | Amplifier – Fri, Jun 3, 2011 9:07 PM EDT

Artists as diverse as Eminem, Radiohead, and Ghostface Killah all paid tribute to Gil Scott-Heron on Twitter when the poet who immeasurably influenced hip-hop passed away on May 27th. Following Heron's death though, Kanye West's dormant Twitter remained silent, even though West memorably sampled Scott-Heron on a pair of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy tracks. It turns out West had a much bigger tribute in store: At a memorial service for Scott-Heron at New York's Riverside Church yesterday, West made a surprise appearance to perform edited versions of "Lost in the World" and "Who Will Survive in America," which samples Gil's "Comment #1."

According to the New York Daily News, Stevie Wonder was listed on the memorial's program as an honorary pallbearer, but didn't make it to the service. The memorial also featured a performance by Scott-Heron's backing band as well as his daughter Gia Scott-Heron, who sang Bette Midler's "The Rose." Scott-Heron's wife Brenda Sykes delivered the eulogy.

"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised"

"I'm New Here"

[Photo: Samir Hussein/Getty Images]

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